As I’m working on my 2023 projects, I’m finding that not many people kept up with maintenance over the last three years. Why? The pandemic of course! With all the regulations and lockdowns, it’s been hard to find a safe way to bring people into your home. Therefore, if you didn’t have the knowledge, it probably didn’t get done.
It seems we all had fun decorating our space during COVID. Sofas, chairs, art, accessories, and more! Online ordering was at its all-time peak. But not so much in keeping things clean, well maintained, and in good working condition. Let me explain.
There are two kinds of design. First, there’s pretty design, like all the wonderful things we see in a home. This is what we think of when we hear “interior deisgn! Then, there’s ugly design, like maintenance to our walls and windows, AC and heat, roof, gutters, and all the stuff we don’t like to spend money on. However, if we don’t, the whole structure will fall apart and we will have no place to keep all the pretty things.
I was recently working with a new client on painting the walls, ceiling, and trim, while also doing some big work on an old built-in entertainment center. We also are adding LED can lights to the ceiling to bring in more light, changing the carpet, and creating a whole new fresh look. But when we took down the very expensive new drapes, we found a water issue under the windows! The screens were falling out of the windows, and lots of cobwebs were attached to the walls. These are all the things we didn’t think of during COVID that now need to be looked after.
Now that we’re coming out of the pandemic and we can bring people more freely into our homes, take the time to move the furniture, clean the windows, and move the drapes to make sure you are ready for the upcoming year.
I would suggest doing one “ugly” design for every two “pretty” things you do. Like clean the windows, touch up the trim, or have someone come check on your HVAC system. Nothing shows the age of a home like beat-up trim.
If you are not using LED light bulbs, start working them into your lighting! If you are using LED bulbs, make sure you dust off the tops, so they are giving off the best light possible. Other things that are often neglected are the fronts of your cabinets and the inside of your hood vent. Make sure to give those a good clean. Finally, make sure you change the filters on your HVAC! This will help with your energy bill, give you cleaner air in your home, and prevent more serious issues! It may not feel like it, but these little “ugly” design things are saving you moment in the long run, so you can spend what you want on those new pillows, throws, or whatever Home Goods things you need!